Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

The painted electricity boxes celebrating Cork's unique brand of slang

They’re pure Cork, boy.

ESB BOXES. NOT the most interesting part of a city, right? They’re usually something that you’d walk past without a thought.

Not so in Cork, thanks to the collective efforts of Reimagine Cork, a volunteer-based group who set out to enliven the cityscape in the People’s Republic.

Reimagine Cork was set up in 2015, with a mission to:

make Cork beautiful by rejuvenating historic laneways, developing urban green spaces and improving the appearance of derelict buildings that have been left to fall into ruin.

Working in conjunction with People’s Republic Of Cork, of late the group has enlisted street artists to paint murals on the ESB boxes scattered all over the city. Similar projects in Dublin and elsewhere have also had huge success.

If you’ve been in Cork recently, you may have notice some of the vibrant red slang-themed boxes.

From ‘bazzer’:

To ‘mockie ah’:

And a langerload of others:

Other boxes welcome people to Cork in a variety of languages:

And you might even spot some local heroes:

Keep an eye out around the city centre for new projects, and you can follow Reimagine Cork on Instagram here.

More Culture: ‘Barristers, baristas and block layers’ – The people who paint Dublin’s striking traffic light boxes

More Culture: Have you spotted the forgotten Penny Dreadful signage on this Dublin side street?

Author
Áine O'Connell
View comments
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel